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Category: Elementary Action Required

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Principals:

The 2016 School Climate Surveys will be administered between February 1, 2016 and March 18, 2016.  The attached communication contains links to the 2016 student, faculty/staff, and parent school climate surveys.  Please review and verify the accuracy of assistant principals, teachers, and certificated support staff listed in each of your school’s surveys (student, faculty/staff, parent) prior to January 22, 2016.  If there are any names that need to be changed, please let Alyssa Messina at UEPC know byJanuary 22, 2016 what changes are needed.  She can be reached at alyssa.messina@utah.edu.

Kaurie Sue Hamilton School and Preschool are listed under "Elementary Schools".  River's Edge School and South Valley School are listed under "High Schools".

You may share the survey links with your school's assistant principals but do NOT share the links with students, teachers, staff, or parents until Feb. 1, 2016.  Feel free to visit, and mark, each of the surveys as often as you would like prior to January 22, 2016.  Collection of actual data from the student, faculty/staff, and parent school climate surveys will begin on February 1, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. MST.

Please contact Clyde Mason if you have questions about needed preparations for the 2016 School Climate Surveys.

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Principals:  Please share with your SCC members.

Utah Association School Community Councils
4th Annual Conference & Training

Thursday, January 14th
3:45 - 8:00 PM

Lehi High School
180 N. 500 E.
Lehi

Click Here to Register

Networking - Training - Dinner

Free for school community council members, teachers, principals, legislators, school board members, and others interested in school community council issues.

Workshop Offerings

  • Planning for Language Arts, Math or Science focus
  • Highly functioning community councils and their plans
  • Understanding performance data
  • Trust Lands 101
  • Training for Community Council Chairs
  • Legislation affecting school community councils and LAND Trust
  • Planning effective professional development
  • Expanding parental involvement
  • Your role on the community council
  • Addressing Gifted & Talented

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Your ALS teacher specialists have already sent you the monitoring forms with instructions for Compliance and Assurances Part 2, which is due January 31st.  These were sent to you in December this year in order to give teachers time to complete them before the semester break.  You should have received instructions, but if you have further questions please contact your specialist Sheri Sample ext. 8307 or Krista Mecham ext. 8321.

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The social studies department has received a grant for an "Academy on the History of Civic Involvement."  This week-long summer professional development opportunity is offered to teachers of social studies from 4th-grade through high school.  Dates are June 6-10, hours 8:00 a.-3:30 p.m.  Teachers will receive a $750 stipend for successful completion of course requirements. 2 lane change credits are available.

The application will be available on the social studies professional development webpage beginning January 1 (also attached here) and is due March 1 to Pam Su'a in Curriculum.  Ten slots are available for teachers.

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Safety Information Surveys

The JSD Safe Schools Advisory Committee would like to inform all principals that they will soon receive two (2) surveys, which relate to school safety, via email:

  • 2015-16 JSD School Safety/Emergency Plans Survey
  • Information Survey for JSD Safe Schools Advisory Committee

The first survey contains critical information we are required to update each year.  The second will be used to help the JSD Safe Schools Advisory Committee identify and establish new goals.  The feedback we receive will assist us in aligning resources and to provide training as needed.  The purpose of both surveys is simply to gather information.

Surveys will be sent to each principal by Peggy Margetts.  If the person responsible for school safety is someone other than you, forward this survey to that designee.  Please feel free to contact Peggy with any questions at (801) 567-8753.

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Elementary Principals:

Please pass this information to your 5th-grade teachers so they will be aware and can get involved if they choose to do so. Questions can be directed to Norma Villar at 801-567-8187.

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DATE:   
December 3, 2015

TO: 
Elementary Principals and Secretaries

FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent of Schools
Luann Leavitt, Consultant, Planning and Student Services

SUBJECT: 
Guidelines to Establish the Kindergarten Enrollment for 2016-17

As per the past several years, it will be the responsibility of each school principal to obtain a kindergarten roster for the 2016-17 school year.  It is from this roster that the kindergarten estimate is created.  The estimate is the basis for the number of kindergarten teachers required and the budget allowed for supplies and materials.  Therefore, it is important that the roster be as accurate as possible.

Please follow guidelines 1-5 below.  The other options are ideas you may want to use.  It is very important for staffing your kindergarten that the count be as accurate as possible.

  1. Send a flyer home with every student.
  2. Publicize in the school newsletter – announce (several times) the importance of getting the count.
  3. Use all other resources available to you. Skylert, etc.
  4. Schedule kindergarten orientation as soon as possible. Check your New Student Online Enrollment to see if there are any pending applications that need to have follow up for the count.  The estimate will be updated after all kindergarten orientations are completed.
  5. Hang banners announcing Kindergarten Registration being accepted for the following school year.

Please schedule your kindergarten orientation
BEFORE APRIL 8, 2016

     Optional:

  1. Make a block contact with every home using PTA support.
  2. Contact pre-schools in the attendance area of your school.
  3. Use a telephone tree operated by parent volunteers with a list of questions for consistency.
  4. Contact neighbors who can identify new move-ins.
  5. Contact community members who do not have children enrolled in school.
  6. Avoid forwarding kindergarten orientation letter to new address if family has moved from your boundary area. Delete that name from your list.

Please be diligent in recruiting the kindergarten students within your school boundary. It will be important to have accurate up to the minute kindergarten numbers as we do the estimates in the upcoming weeks.  Please submit the TOTAL number of kindergarten students to Planning and Student Services by Friday, January 15, 2016.  You may call Luann at 801-567-8251 or fax to 801-567-8061.

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Please help us get the word to teachers. The Instructional Support Center has resources for all levels.
New this year:
  • Posters -- Beautiful full-color posters starting at $2.50/foot
  • Color copies
Newly acquired videos for secondary grades:
  • United States History: Industrial Revolution
  • World War I & II: Cause and Effect
  • Launching a Business
  • Public Speaking
  • Organic Farming
Meteorite and Volcanic Rock Kit that includes a DVD, information binder, six rocks, and magnets.
Principals, Please share this ISC Newsletter with your teachers.

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DATE:   
November 4, 2015

TO:    
Elementary Principals

FROM: 
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent of Schools
Luann Leavitt, Consultant for Planning and Student Services

SUBJECT: 
Attendance Reporting on Elementary Report Cards

When the elementary report card calculates attendance it is pulling any attendance that has been entered for a student.  To better clarify, the absence field reports a number if any portion of the day was missed whether it was excused or unexcused.  It is always helpful when a time is entered into the comment section as the student checks in/out of school to provide more accurate information to the families.

The most accurate attendance is always available within Skyward Family Access and will provide a better picture and detailed explanation for parents.  These reports may be printed at any time at the parents request or they may access the information through their individual login and password.

Please share this information with faculty, staff and patrons as they navigate through the report card information.

Thank you.

NOTE:  Attached is page 2 of the Planning & Student Services Manual has detailed Guidance on Attendance Accounting in the Elementary.  Please review this information with your office staff.

 

JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT
Department of Planning and Student Services

Attendance Accounting-Elementary

Updated to using Skyward - (No longer using Attendance Cards)

The Jordan School District Skyward Attendance Program is the official procedure for attendance accounting.

The Skyward attendance program shall be made for every student who enrolls at your school.

  • Attendance will be taken by the teacher the first half hour of the morning and recorded on Skyward. The teacher will save the attendance within the first half hour of the morning.
  • When a student checks out of school, a Skyward record will be made by the office. The teacher will send the student to the office with a hall pass when the student checks out.
  • A check-in slip will be sent to the teacher when a student checks in late. The computer entry will be made by the office.

Absences will be recorded by the office on Skyward as follows:

  • If no attendance is entered into Skyward during the morning, the student is counted present. (No attendance mark indicates the student was present all day.)
  • If the student checks in during the first two hours of the morning, mark Skyward tardy (t) and the reason for tardy.  The student is counted present.
  • If the student checks in after the first two hours of the morning, he is counted absent for 1st period (a).
  • If the student checks out after the first two hours of the morning, he is counted present 1/2 day (marking an absence for 2nd period).
  • If an attendance is not entered during the last half of the day, the student is counted present all day.
  • If the student checks in during the first two hours of the afternoon, he is counted present 1/2 day afternoon (marking an absence for 1st period).
  • If the student checks in after the first two hours of the afternoon, he is counted absent all day.
  • If the student checks out after the first two hours of the afternoon, he is counted present, marking Skyward for the reason leaving early.
  • On short day, adjust the check in and check out hours to fit the half day.
  • Make notes in the “Comment” section of Skyward.
  • Use attendance Truancy Letters found on the Planning & Student Services website located at: http://jordandistrict.org/departments/planning-studentservices/resources/
  • Use the attendance codes available from Information Systems. (see pages 8-9)

P&SS Manual 2015-16 – June 30, 2015

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Elementary Principals:

Teachers are eager for the following information; please be sure to share with them.

  • RTI tools are now available in a fillable PDF and posted on the CBL website (Under Interventions tab) and the Curriculum Department website (Under Resources, School Improvement Plan).
  • The presentation used to present these tools at the Literacy training is now available on the CBL website under the Interventions tab.
  • Due to teacher requests, a Wednesday night Running Records class has been scheduled for December 2, 9, and 16.  Teachers may register on JPLS.

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Student Intervention Services department applied for an Anti-Bullying grant and received the funding.  With that funding we have purchased magnets with JSD definition of bullying for every single student.  This will help administrators clarify to parents who say their child is being bullied. They will be sent to the school via our JSD mail.  We have included a sample letter in the packet you will receive if the school would like to use it or modify it.  We have also purchased signs for our PLT (high school) teams to use in their anti-bullying presentations to the feeder elementaries. Jeani Mulliner has delivered those.  In addition we have purchased signs for every classroom and every office with the definition.

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TO:
All Principals, Registrars, Attendance Secretaries, and Elementary Secretaries, Homeless Liaison, Nutrition Services

FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent
Luann Leavitt, Consultant of Planning & Student Services

Many families live in different situations and several of those living circumstances may qualify the family for a McKinney Vento enrollment.  To determine this enrollment, the family must complete the Student Residency Questionnaire and lunch application either online or in paper format at the school.  If the patron qualifies under McKinney Vento, enroll the student considering the following.

  1. When entering the student into Skyward and the legal guardian is enrolling:
    • Family #1 is the legal guardian with the current address of where they are residing.
  2. When entering the student into Skyward and the caregiver does not have Durable Power of Attorney:
    • Family #1 is the student – relationship is McKinney Vento - with the current address of where they are residing.  This will help everyone with Skyward access to know the circumstances of the initial enrollment and help the school protect the child’s FERPA rights.
    • Family #2 is the child’s legal guardian and a contact information if it is available. If the legal guardian information is not available, enter the caregiver in Family #2.
    • Family #3 is the caregiver – relationship is McKinney Vento – with their address and contact information. Once a Durable Power of Attorney is obtained, move the caregiver to Family #1 in place of the student.
  3. When entering a student into Skyward with a caregiver who has a Durable Power of Attorney:
    • Family #1 is the caregiver – relationship is McKinney Vento – with their address and contact information.
    • Family #2 is the legal guardian and contact information if it is available.

NOTE:

  • Legal Guardianship is awarded through the courts determines who is placed in the Family #1 position.
  • If the status of the student’s enrollment changes, (a Durable Power of Attorney is obtained after initial enrollment) the Family information and the relationship on the Family screen will also need to be updated.

NEW:  Two new relationship fields were added in Skyward:

  • McKinney Vento
  • Migrant

Once the enrollment is complete and to facilitate a smooth transition for the child into school, please fax a copy of the Student Residency Questionnaire and the lunch application to the Homeless Liaison at 801-567-8073 and to Nutrition Services at 801-567-8768.    If a lunch application was not needed, only fax to the Homeless Liaison.

All of this information should be held confidential and protected.  We hope this information is helpful when enrolling a student under McKinney Vento with lunch applications.  Please contact Planning & Student Services with any questions.

Skyward Report available for schools to print regarding McKinney Vento are:

  • Family Residency Report – Online Registration -- the Path is: Families/Jordan Additions/Registration Reports
  • McKinney Vento – available in Data Mining.

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DATE:
July 14, 2015

TO:
Jordan School District Principals

FROM:
Administrators of Schools
Luann Leavitt, Planning and Student Services

SUBJECT:
Release of "Directory Information" under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

See attached memo.